Sandal type shoe with instep guard



Nov. 16, 1948. E. L. JORDAN 2,454,181

I SANDAL TYPE SHOE WITH INSTEP GUA RD FiledApril 22, 1946 f ave/1,55%

EmrfiL. form Patented Nov. 16, i948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANDAL TYPE SHOE WITH INSTEP GUARD v Evart L. Jordan, Rockford, Ill. Appmmlxpm 22, 1946, Serial Nb. 64,058

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shoes and is more particularly concerned with an improved sandal type shoe.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sandal type shoe that is so constructed as to give greater comfort and improved appearance, tW-o criss-cross flaps on the front portion of the shoe cooperating with a heel pocket or counter portion and forming the front upper portion of the shoe and being connected at their rear ends on opposite sides of the shoes to a heel encircling strap and buckle that are arranged to be adjusted to the desired tightness for secure fastening consistent with comfort, thus keeping both flaps and also the heel portion under the desired tension at all times so that the shoe retains its shape and neat appearance. A tongue member spans the front upper portion of the shoe over the over-lapped portions of the flaps for comfort of the wearer and has upposed rearwardly extending side portions attached with the rear ends of the flaps to the upwardly extending flexible side pieces that are secured to the instep portion of the sole on the opposite side edge portions thereof.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a sandal type shoe made in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a top view.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in these two views.

In the drawing, 3 is the leather sole to the front portion of which are secured on opposite sides the leather flaps 4 and 5 which are disposed in criss-crossed relation, as indicated at 6, leaving an open toe portion, as indicated at l in Fig. 2. The flaps are tapered toward the rear to define rearwardly extending strap portions 8 and 9 which are sewed in the upper ends of upwardy extending flexible side pieces In and H. These side pieces are made of two plies of leather sewed together and are disposed on opposite sides of the instep portion of the shoe and are suitably secured at their lower ends to the sole 3 under an insole l2. A tongue-like leather part l3 spans the front upper portion of the shoe under the overlapped portions of the flaps 4 and 5 and is sewed at its ends in between the plies of the side pieces 10 and II with the strap ends 8 and 9 of said flaps. A leather heel pocket or counter portion I4 is suitably secured to the sole 3 under the rear end portion of the insole l2 and has a leather strap l5 sewed up the back portion thereof, more or less as a trim piece but also to provide a loop or tunnel IS in the upper end portion thereof. Slits I! are cut in the oppositeside portions of the heel pocket to provide the tunnels l8 and IS on opposite sides of the heel pocket. A leather strap 20 which may be an integral extension of the strap 9 on the flap 4, or, if desired, may be a separate piece sewed in between the plies of the side piece ll, extends rearwardly around the heel pocket l4 through the tunnels l9, l6 and H3, in the order stated, for adjustable connection at its free end portion 2| with a buckle 22. The latter is provided on the end of a short leather strap 23 which may be an integral extension of the strap end 8 of the flap 5 or may be a separate piece sewed in between the plies in the upper end of the side piece Ill. Holes 24 provided in spaced relation in the end portion 2| of the strap 20 are adapted to receive the pin 25 of the buckle 22 selectively. This shoe is well ventilated because there are, in addition to the toe opening 1, the openings 26 and 2'! on both sides of the instep, for good ventilation, and the shoe, by virtue of the construction disclosed, is also quite flexible, particularly through the instep portion, and generally light and easy on the foot,

In the wearing of this shoe, the wearer draws up on the strap 20 just enough to make the flaps 4 and 5 lie fairly snugly over the toes, and at the same time draw the heel pocket [4 fairly snugly around the heel. The end portion 2| of the strap is fastened by means of the buckle 22 so as to keep the flaps 4 and 5 and heel pocket I 4 under the desired tension at all times. The flaps 4 and 5 will obviously slide freely on one another as the wearer walks, and in that waythere is never any danger of its slipping off when the wearer runs or walks fast. The tongue 13 avoids any danger of pinching the foot over the instep in the relative movement of the flaps 4 and 5. A lining 28 is preferably provided in the heel pocket It for better comfort by covering the strap 2|] on the inside of the heel pocket at the tunnels l8 and I9.

It will be understood that although I have described the shoe as made of leather, other materials may be used. For instance, the sole 3 may be of leather and the uppers of cloth or canvas, or the sole 3 may be of rubber and the uppers of cloth or canvas, or leather.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modiflcations and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a shoe construction, a full length sole, flaps of flexible sheet material of substantially uniform thickness secured to the front portion of the sole on the opposite side edge portions thereof and extending inwardly and rearwardly in crisscrossed overlapping relation to cover the toes and front portion of a, human foot in the shoe, said flaps being tapered in width toward the rear ends which are relatively narrow, upstanding side members secured to the instep portion of the sole on the opposite side edge portions and supporting the narrow rear end portions of said flaps, an upstanding heel pocket secured to the heel portion of the sole and having one or more strap guides on the upper portion thereof, astrap of flexible material extending from the rear end of one of said flaps rearwardly around the heel pocket through said strap guides and forwardly toward the rear end of the other flap and adjustably connected therewith by means of a suitable fastener so as to tie the shoe and place both flaps and the heel pocket under a desired tension on the foot, and a tongue member of flexible sheet material extending cross-wise of the shoe under and in contact with the overlapped portions of the flaps to engage the foot of the wearer over the instep portion, said tongue member having its opposed side portions extending rearwardly and secured to said side members for its sole support.

2. In a shoe construction, a full-length sole, flaps of flexible sheet material of substantially uniform thickness secured to the front portion of the sole on the opposite side edge portions thereof and extending inwardly and rearwardly in cries-crossed overlapping relation to cover the toes and front portion of a human foot in the shoe, said flaps being tapered in width toward the rear ends which are relatively narrow, two ply side members extending upwardly from and secured to the opposite side edge portions of the sole at the instep portion and having the nar-- row rear end portions of the flaps entered therein and fastened between the plies, an upstanding heel pocket secured to the heel portion of the sole and having one or more strap guides on the upper portion thereof, a strap of flexible material fastened between the plies of one of said side members and extending rearwardly around the heel pocket through said strap guides and forwardly toward the other side member, another strap fastened between the plies of the latter side member and extending rearwardly therefrom and carrying a buckle for adjustable connection with the end portion of the aforesaid strap so as to tie the shoe and place both flaps and the heel pocket under a desired tension on the foot, and a tongue member of flexible sheet material extending crosswise of the shoe under and in contact with the overlapped portions of the flaps to engage the foot of the wearer over the instep portion, said tongue member having its opposed end portions extending rearwardly and entered between the plies of said side members and fastened thereto for its sole support.

EVART L. JORDAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bernard June 23, 1931 Sunderland Nov. 1, 1932 McCamish Jan. 14, 1936 Shea Mar. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 16, 1903 Switzerland Apr, 9, 1904 Italy Apr. 6, 1937 OTHER REFERENCES 'A B o das Schuh-FabrikatiomJune 2, 1933, page 944.

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